SMWs Unite!

If there’s anyone more insufferable than a Social Justice Warrior, it’s a Social Media Warrior.

However irritating they may be, at least Social Justice Warriors can usually parrot some tired talking points in defense of their positions.

All Social Media Warriors care about is being one of the cool kids. They’ll say whatever they think will get them the most “Likes” on Facebook.

Take the recent brouhaha over the liquor license request of Tequila’s Mexican Cantina (aka the greatest eatery north of the Rio Grande).

Most of those opining on social media didn’t bother to read the newspaper story, much less watch the WCAT video coverage of last week’s discussion at the Town Council meeting.

All they know is that we need a Mexican restaurant in town and so what if the owners have had a few run-ins with the law in the past. That’s no reason to worry about handing them a license to sell intoxicating beverages.

And if the police are against giving them the license, well then, these fellows must be nature’s noblemen, the innocent victims of some sinister plot to persecute them.

The Board of Selectmen granted the liquor license to Tequilas last February, pending the results of routine police fingerprinting of the two prospective owners.

And what do you know? After running their prints through the police database, it turned out that both men had a history of involvement with the criminal justice system. So, the town withheld releasing the license pending last week’s Town Council meeting.
It was already known at the time of the original vote to grant the license last February that one of the restauranteurs had a drunk driving conviction in Wyoming four years ago. That alone would be enough to make me think seriously about whether this is the ideal candidate to be running an establishment that serves alcohol.
But it was the other partner’s four arrests in Chicago that really got the attention of Police Chief Rick Smith. Two of the four arrests happened when he was a juvenile, the other two when he was legally an adult. I won’t rehash those incidents here. I refer you to the lengthy and detailed story in the Wednesday, June 13 Daily Item or to the WCAT online video of the Town Council meeting.

Suffice it to say that cops not only know how to read police reports, they know how to read between the lines. Experienced cops also know how to read people. They have finely-tuned BS detectors and have heard all the stories, multiple times. So, when one of the top police chiefs in the country throws up the caution flag, I tend to pay close attention.

If an individual has left his past misdeeds behind and has turned his life around, he deserves high praise and hearty congratulations. It doesn’t mean he deserves a liquor license in the town of Wakefield.

But Social Media Warriors only care about virtue signaling what compassionate and forgiving people they are – and about whether they can get a burrito and a margarita in Wakefield.

One shameless Social Media Warrior suggested that ethnic bias was at work here. Why haven’t other applicants for liquor licenses been subjected to the same level of scrutiny as Tequila’s owners were?

Maybe because other applicants tend not to have DUIs and multiple other criminal offenses on their records.

Another proud SMW said that he didn’t even like Mexican food, but as a result of the controversy, he was going to gather a dozen of his friends and patronize Tequila’s regularly.

Power to the people, baby!

Still another Social Media Warrior announced that even though he had moved out of state, he was going to make a special trek back to Wakefield every week just to eat and drink at Tequila’s.

Right on, brother! That’ll show The Man.

I’m with Chief Smith in hoping that Tequila’s succeeds and that there is never so much as a whiff of an issue that would draw police attention. If there ever is such an issue, I know that Chief Smith is too much of a professional to say, “I told you so.”

But I have a feeling that there will be no shortage of people willing to say it for him.

There has always been a stipulation in applying for a liquor license whether on preamise or off premise , a convicted felon’s name cannot be on the license or be involved in the operation or receive compensation. Actually it is law unless it has been eased up in the past 6 yrs . I defend chief Smith in his decision to not allow the license to these individuals. I also abhor the decision of the issuing board to not follow their chief who they appointed to uphold the laws and inform the board of these issues. We haven’t had a more studious and rational chief in this town In years. I for one am sorry he has a mandatory retirement although his successor should be his deputy and with that the continuity of the POD should continue.
Bob Hubbard
Life long Wakefield Resident!